We're barely a third of the way through the season but things are starting to come together for the Huskies. They've finally settled on a starting quarterback -- junior Johnny McEntee -- the defense is as good as advertised, and the offense has a chance to be average, which is all that's necessary for UConn to compete in the Big East.
In fact, a mediocre offense is the only thing standing between their current 2-2 record and the possibility of starting the season 4-0. Sometimes teams learn more in losses, and perhaps that's the case here. Either way, UConn faces Western Michigan Saturday afternoon and then it's all Big East, all the time from here on out.
While players aren't happy with the .500 start, they're well aware of the situation, specifically the turnover at key positions, including quarterback and running back.
"If you take into account all those things, then it's going to be hard for the offense to come out and roll in Week 1," senior wide receiver Kahsif Moore said, according to the Hartford Courant. "I feel like it's going take a little bit more time but we do have to be more consistent. But I can tell you that everyone bought into Coach [Paul] Pasqualoni. From Day 1 through spring ball we've all bought into what Coach Pasqualoni wants to do. Everyone is being good, soaking in everything we can from the coaches."
Pasqualoni, who replaced Randy Edsall in January and seems to understand that assembling a competitive football team is a marathon not a sprint, admitted that "It's a work in progress, certainly. You don't master any system, I don't believe, in four games. You're practicing and all those things but at the end of the day [it's about] getting it done out on the field when you're out there and there's not coaches on the field helping you, telling you what to do and that type of thing."
Pasqualoni also knows that there are easier ways to fill out a depth chart, particularly at quarterback, but he also knows this is a process.
"I'm pleased with the progress we've made. We didn't take the easiest approach with what we're trying to do philosophically both offensively and defensively. This is football at a very, very high level."
